Distributor



April 8, 1947. vvJ R FRE, y 2,418,504

DISTRIBUTOR Fiied oct. rfs, 1940 ls 1l/11111.vrllllllllllllam r', I

"- g ggp/ 'v lsTToRNEY Patented pr. 8, 1947 DISTRIBUTOR .lakob R. Frei, Sidney, N. Y., assigner to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application October 8, 1940, Serial No. 360,227

8 Claims.

This invention relates to ignition apparatus, and more particularly to means for distributing electrical current from one or more sources or" high tension electrical energy to a plurality of electrical circuits in a predetermined sequence such as in the ignition system of an internal coinbustion engine.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a no-vel ignition distributor wherein the insulating parts are less subject to damagek as a result of changes in temperature and durm ing handling by personnel.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel rotatable means in a distributor for an ignition syste-m having main and booster circuitsr which comprises parts that may be readily assembled for rotation in either direction.

A further object is to provide a distributor which is adapted to be rigidly connected to both the engine casing and a shielding harness for the outgoing and incoming electrical leads, necessary timing adjustments being made by adjustment of the rotatable element of said distributor with respect to the driving means therefor.

Still another object is to provide a novel distributor which is so constructed that the same is inherently radio-shielded without the addition of special shielding parts.

A still further object is to provide novel ignition distributing means which is light in weight and in which the more iragileparts and the parts having the shortest useful operating life are so constructed that the same may be readily and inexpensively replaced.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. it is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had primarily to the appended claims for this latter purpose.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. l is a side elevation, mostly in section and with parts broken away, of one form of distributor embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in section and with parts broken away, of the assembled rotating contact or terminal carrying means of the distributor of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of said contact carrying means, the section being taken substantially on line 3 3 0f Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail View taken substantially on line 4--4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a detail View, partly in section and with parts broken away, showing the novel ventilating means of Fig. l on an enlarged scale.

A single embodiment of the invention is illustrate-d in the drawings, by way of example, in the form of an ignition distributor which is particularly adapted for use in a radio-shielded ignition system such as is now in common use on aircraft engines. In the form shown, the current carrying elements of the distributor are housed, supported and radio-shielded by a three-part metallic casing comprising a base portion I0, a central or body portion II, and a cover I2. Casing member Id which is cup-like is provided with a central opening I3 in which a rotatable shaft is journalled and is adapted to be rigidly secured to an engine casing or the like (not shown) by bolts which extend through a plurality of openings I4. Body portion II is cylinder-like in construction and is adapted to be removably secured to base portion I0 by means of a plurality of stud bolts I5, a lateral wall I6 intermediate the ends of said body portion forming the top of a chamber II in which the rotating parts of the distributor operate. Cover I2 is removably secured to the upper end of body II by set screws I 8 or other suitable means and forms the top of a second charnber I9 above wall I6. Body portion I I may also be provided with an opening 2i) in the side thereof for the passage of cables from chamber I9 to a radio-shielding harness manifold 2| (only partly shown), which may be of the character illustrated in Spengler et al. copending application Serial No. 271,220, or any other suitable type.

For the purpose of rendering the present distributor capable of use in its entirety with en.- gines regardless of the required direction of rotation of the rotatable elements thereof, for the purpose of making it unnecessary to shift the distributor casing angularly for timing purposes, and for the further purpose of reducing the number of failures and delays due to fracture of the molded insulating parts, a novel rotatable mechanism is provided. In the form illustrated, said mechanism comprises a beveled ring gear 22 adapted to be driven by the engine with which the distributor is associated, said gear having a sleevelike hub portion 23 extending into the inner race of ball-bearings 24 which are mounted in a sleeve 25 having a drive fit in opening I3. A plate 26 of metal or other suitable material in chamber I 'I is provided with a downwardly extending sleevelike hub portion 2'! which is freely journalled in the upper end of hub 23.

In order to drivably connect gear 22 and plate 26 together, whereby the former may directly drive the latter and yet provide for small angular adjustments of one with respect to the other, an adjustable coupling s provided which comprises a bolt 28 that has a free sliding it in hub 21 and splined engagement, as at 29, with hub 23 of gear rEhe inner face of head 30 of said bolt has an annular series oi ratchet teeth 3l cut thereon that mesh with a similar set of teeth 32 cut on the upper surface of a ring or sleeve 33 which freely surrounds bolt 23 for free angular and axial movement relative thereto. The lower face oi ring 33 is likewise provided with a series of ratchet teeth 3f: which have a slightly dilerent pitch than teeth 32 and mesh with a similar set of ratchet teeth 3`|` out on rotating element 26, 2i. in one commercial embodiment, the diameter of head is .695 and there are 2d teeth on one face of ring 23 and 23 teeth on the other iace thereof. By making a shift oi one tooth in each set of meshing teeth and in opposite directions, an angular adjustment equal to the difference in the pitches or the two sets of teeth may be accomplished, i. e., an adjustment of less than one degree. The teeth 3l, 32 and Sd, S5 are normally held in mesh, so that gear 22 and plate 25 will rotate as a unit, by a nut 35 threaded onto bolt and engaging the lower face of said gear. When nut 35 is loosened sufficiently to permit the making of an adjustment, a spring yieldably holds the ratchet teeth 3l, and 35 in mesh. yhese teeth are so cut that when plate 2S is turned in one direction teeth Si and tend to slip over one another, while teeth and 35 tend to slip over one another when said plate is turned in the opposite direction. rI'hus, when nut 33 is loosened, oscillation of either plate or gear 22 to the extent oi one ratchet tooth in each direction eiects a very small angular adjustmentJ beween said gear and plate. When nut 36 is tightened against gear a direct drive is formed from said gear through splines .ratchet teeth 31, S2, ring 33, and ratchet teeth 35 to plate 26. It is believed that a more detailed showing or description of the adjustable coupling is not necessary since it does not per se constitute a part of the present invention.

Mounted on plate 25 for rotation therewith are novel means for picking up current from stationary supply leads and distributin said current in a predetermined manner to a plurality of terminals or electrodes to be later described, said means being adaptable for rotation in either direction, less subject to breakage, and more readily and inexpensively replaced than similar means heretofore provided for the same purpose. As illustrated, said means comprises two molded insulating blocks 33 and secured to plate 2G for rotation therewith by bolts 4Q and 4|, respectively (Fig. 2), and preferably separated from said plate by a spacer plate i2 o insulating material. Block has a central metallic terminal Q3 embedded ther-ein and projecting beyond the upper surface thereof, which is connected by an embedded wire ill to a disk or contact 55 that is iixed in said block intermediate the ends of a cylindrical passage iii through the block, the opposite ends of said passage constituting coaxial recesses. Also embedded in block 38 adjacent the periphery thereof is a metallic ring di which extends beyond the upper surface of the block and is connected by a lead 48 to a contact disk d fixed in a througi'i passage 5d that is parallel and diametrically opposite passage Electrode carrying block is secured to plate 28 adjacent one end thereoic and has a pair of spaced terminals or electrodes 5i and 52 embedded therein and projecting outwardly heyond the periphery hereof, as best seen in Fig. 2.

The embedded ends of said electrodes form the inner ends oi cylindrical recesses 53 and 54, respectively, u 'ch are in axial alignment with passages and oi terminal block S8. For electrically connecting electrodes Si and 52 to terminals and fit1, a pair oi connectors 55 are provided. Said connectors slidably extend into said recesses and passages and may be constituted by short lengths of insulated cable, each having a coil spring secured to each end thereof. To insure smooth rotation of the rotating parts, the insulating block is balanced by a counterweight 23d which may integral with plate 26.

If it is desirel to conr and terminals 52 and 45, i. e., the connections illustrated in the dr necessary to turn termi; 33 through l relative to plate 26, it being noted that said terminal block is symmetrically constructed with nais 5l and 43 reverse of the -r"igs, it is only respect to a plane parallel to passages 3 and 5S and conta the axis of rotation of plate 26. Thus, either electrode 5l or F9 may be readily connected to either ring ter terminal f1.3 of block nal lf3 or center This reversability rein turn, results in the ready and inexpensive replaceability ci elect.'odes El and T2 when thc same become corroded or turned. Also, by making the molded insulating parte smaller in size and with less embedded metal, there is less danger oi said parts becoming cracked or broken during manuiactr e and use, n iich often occurs by reason of the different coeilicients of expansion of the insulating and metallic parts and the shrinkage o` the molded insulating material during the drying process.

High tension current supplied to terminal 43 in a manner to hereinafter appear is distributed during rotation of plate 25 and the parts mounted thereon to a plurality of circularly arranged terminals or electrodes that are connected with ignition devices and which are constructed and 45 mounted in casing member ll in a novel manner to minimize the possibility of damage and reduce t0 a minimum the weight of the complete unit, the initial cost and the cost of repair in case of accidental damage. As shown, each of said terminals consists of a conductor 5T embedded in 59 and 60.

through other connecting cables, to a spark plug of the engine on which the distributor is used. The lower ends of terminals 51, 5S are preferably wholly within casing l l i. e., above the lower edge thereof as shown in the drawings, to thereby minimize the danger oi' damage to said terminals when the structure is disassembled.

High tension current from any suitable source of supply (not shown), such as a magneto, is

conducted to the distributor through a cable 62 which also enters chamber i9 from harness 2l or other suitable inlet and is connected to a central terminal E3 that is similar both in mounting and construction to terminals 5?, 58, except that the lower end of the conducting portion of terminal 53 is provided with a movable contact brush 64 adapted to be yieldingly held against terminal 43 by a coil spring 65. A terminal similar to terminal 63, but not shown in the interest of clarity, is provided directly above a portion of ring 4l for conducting high tension current from another or booster source of said ring and, hence, to the trailing one of the electrodes 5i and 52 for use primarily in starting the engine.

In order to minimize the possibility of nashovers between terminals Si) and the metallic casing Il, l2 and to obviate chang of cables 6i, 62 by reason of vibration, chamber i9 is preferably iilled, as is also manifold 2l, with a suitable insulating substance GG. The latter is preferably a solid and yet is of a pliable nature. One substance which has been found suitable is polymerized cashew nut-shell oil. chamber i9 and harness 2| also prevents moisture from entering or accumulating in said cham ber and harness.

Filler t6 may also be used in a novel manner to lock set screws or bolts, which hold the various parts of the distributor and harness together, against accidental loosening or removal. For example, a portion of one of two engaging parts, such as manifold 2i, may be cut away around a bolt Si', which secures the manifold to casing il, to thereby form a recess 68 to receive the iilling material, preferably aro-und a threaded portion of the bolt. The latter is thereby yieldably held against turning and, hence, loosening of the bolt by vibration is effectively prevented in a very simple manner without rendering it unduly difficult to forcibly remove the same for purposes of disassembly,

Flashovers between casing lil, i I and electrodes 59 within compartment Il are also effectively avoided in a novel manner. rlhe interior surfaces of casing members |53 and il are sprayed or otherwise coated, for this purpose, with a layer of insulating material 69.

Novel means are provided for Ventilating com partment il', said means being so constructed as to prevent rain and other foreign matter from being carried into the distributor by the air. Said Ventilating means, in the form illustrated, are par ticularly adapted for installations wherein the axis of shaft 23 is inclined to the vertical and comprises an elongated tubular member lil. The latter is curved in the horizontal plane, as shown in the drawings, to fit the contour or" casing member It) and, when the distributor is mounted on an engine, member lil is preferably tilted with respect to the vertical, so that one end is lower than the other end thereof, either by virtue of its installation in casing I or by virtue of the manner in which the casing is mounted on the engine.

The lower end oi tube 'l0 is supported in a ntting 'H that has a hollow threaded portion 'i2 which extends through an opening in casing lil and is secured in place by a nut 13. The hollow interior i4 of portion 'l2 serves to continuously connect the interior of tube lil with the atmosphere. The upper end of said tube, the angular extent of the latter from end to end being something less than a semi-circle, is supported in a similar manner by a tting l that has an opening 'i2 connecting tube l0 with chamber Il. Fitting l5 is provided with a threaded portion H that extends through the wall of casing i0 and is engaged by a nut i8. Compartment Il is thus continuously connected with atmosphere through passage 14, curved tube 'l0 and passage 16. In traversing these passages, a substantial percent- The filling ofv V are near their top dead-center positions.

age of moisture and other foreign particles carried by the air are retarded and caused to drop to the bottom of tube l0 and hence to fall out through opening 14. It will, of course, be understood that more than one tube 10 may be provided and that casing iii may, if desired, be cast with the Ventilating passages therein.

In the operation of the distributor, as assembled in the drawings, high tension current is supplied froni a magneto or other suitab-le source through cable 62, brush 55, terminal 43, contact disk 45 and conductor 55 to electrode 5l. As the latter electrode is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2 and in a manner heretofore fully described, the same will move beneath successive electrode points 59 in close relation thereto so that high tension current will flow from the moving electrode to the stationary electrodes andthence through conductors 5l and 3| to the spark plugs or other ignition devices of the engine with which the distributor is used. The high tension current is ordinarily supplied in timed impulses from an induction coil and it is accordingly necessary that electrode 5l pass below the various stationary electrodes 59 in timed relation to said impulses. The necessary positioning of the rotary unit may be effected for this purpose through the adjustable coupling comprising parts 28, 33 and 26 in a manner heretofore fully described.

High tension current may also be supplied to the same spark plugs by an auxiliary or booster source, such as for starting purposes, when the pistons in the respective cylinders of the engine The booster current may be supplied by means of a brush contact through ring 4l, disk 49, conductor 55, rotatable electrode 52 and electrodes 59. If the reverse direction of rotation is required in a particular engine, thereby making electrode 52 lead electrode 5i, the current from the main source of supply may be readily directed from terminal 43 to electrode 52 and current from the booster source directed to electrode 5| by mereu ly reversing the position of block 3d on plate 26. In order to insure proper assembly in the field, a positioning pin 19 may be provided in plate 26 for cooperation with a recess in block 38.

There is thus provided a novel ignition distributor for internal combustion engines which is housed in a novel manner in a metallic casing that may be rigidly and non-adjustably secured to the engine casing and` which is provided with internal means for adjusting the movable electrodes with respect t0 the stationary electrodes thereof for timing purposes. Novel insulating parts are also provided, thereby minimizing the possibility of failure and reducing initial cost as well as cost of repair. There is also provided a novel rotatable electrode and terminal carrying means which may be readily adapted for rota.- tion in either direction and wherein the electrodes, which are subject to wear and erosion during operation, may be readily and inexpensively replaced.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto but that various changes may be made, particularly in the design and arrangement of parts illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventio-n, as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art. For a definition of the limits .of the invention, reference is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ignition distributor, a rotatable member, a block of insulating material removably secured to said member for rotation therewith, said block having a pair of passages therethrough, one on each side of the axis of rotation thereof, a pair of terminals embedded in said block, a contact intermediate the ends of each of said passages, means connecting one of said terminals to the contact in one of said passages, and means connecting the other of said terminals to the Contact in the other of said passages.

2. In an electric current distributo-r for internal combustion engines or the like, a rotatable member, a block of insulating material secured to said member for rotation therewith, said block being symmetrical with respect to a plane containing the axis of rotation of said member, a metallic terminal on said block, co-axial recesses in opposite sides of said block, contact means in said recesses, and means connecting said terminal to said Contact means.

3. In an ignition distributor', a rotatable meneu ber, a block of insulating material removably secured to said member for rotation therewith, said block having a pair of passages theretn ugh, one on each side of the axis of rotation thereof, a pair of terminals embedded in said block, a contact intermediate the ends of each of said passages, means connecting one of said terminals to the contact in one of said passages, means connecting the other or said terminals to the contact in the other of said passages, a second block of insulating material mounted on said member having a pair of parallel recesses in one race thereof, a pair of Velectrodes terminating in said parallel recesses and projecting beyond the periphery of said second block, said parallel recesses being coaxial with the corresponding passages in said iir'stnamed block, and means slidably extending into said recesses and passages for electrically connecting said electrodes with said contacts, said nist-named block being adapted to be secured to said member in two positions whereby either of said passages may be in coaxial alignment with either of said recesses.

4. In an electric current distributor for internal combustion engines or the like, a rotatable member, a block of insulating material secured to said member for rotation therewith, said 1clock being symmetrical with respect to a plane containing the axis of rotation of said member, a metallic terminal on said block, coaxial recesses in opposite sides of said block, contact means in said recesses, means connecting said terminal tc said contact means, a second lock of insulating material mounted on s member and having a pair of parallel recesses in one vside there-of, a pair of electrodes on said second block projecting beyond the periphery thereof and each terminating at one end in one of sai-z1 parallel recesses, one of the latter being coaxial 'with said coaxial recesses when said rst block is secured to said member in one position and the other of said parallel recesses being coaxial with said coaxial recesses when said rst-named block is turned through 180 degrees relative to said member, and means extending into said recesses for electrically connecting one of said electrodes to said contact means.

5. An ignition distributor comprising a threepart metallic casing forming two chambers and including a base member, a central body member having a lateral wall constituting a common wall of 'sai-d chambers and a cover, rotatable means journalled in said base member and including a driving member', a driven member, means for coupling said driven and driving members for angular adjustment relative to each other, an insulating block having a plurality of terminals thereon secured to said driven member, an insulating block having a plurality of electrodes thereon secured to said driven member and means for connecting said terminals to said electrodes, means mounted in said lateral wall for conducting high tension current to said terminals, and a plurality of stationary electrodes individually mounted on and insulated from said wall circularly arranged for successive cooperation with said rstnamed electrodes during rotation of the latter, ysaid stationary electrodes extending from one of said chambers to the other.

S. Apparatus ci the class described comprising a molded block of insulating material adapted to be mounted for rotation about an axis, said blo-ck having at least one pair of coaxial recesses perpendicular to a plane containing said axis of rotation, a terminal carried by `said block, contact means in said recesses, and means connectsaid terminal and the contact means in one of said recesses 7. Apparatus of the class described comprising a molded block of insulating material adapted for rotation about an axis, said block having a pair of recesses in each of two opposed sides thereof, the axes of said recesses being perpendicular to a common plane containing said axis of rotation and said block leing substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane containing said axis of rotation and parallel to the axes of said recesses, contact means in said recesses, a pair of terminals carried by said block, and means connecting one of said terminals to the contact means in one recess in each of said pairs of recesses, and means connecting the other ol said terminals to the contact means in the other of said recesses.

3. A rotatable distributor finger for an ignition distributm` comprising a support, two blocks of insulating material mounted on said support, each of said blocks having two electrical terminals thereon, and means interposed between said blocks for electrically connecting each of the terminals on one of said blocks to a different terminal on the other block, one of said blocks being :eversible on said support for reversing the conhectic-ns between said terminals without appreciably disturbing the balance of the distributor linger.

JAKOB R. FREI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the ille oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,984,276 Mallory Dec. 11, 1934 Beeh July 3l, 1934 1,717,854 Sauer June 18, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 113,411 British Feb. 21, 1917 623,008 French June 14, 1927 

